Ben Folds Postpones Own Work For Shatner

Pianist Ben Folds has pushed back the release date of his upcoming solo album to concentrate on Has Been, a collection by Star Trek star and sometime musician William Shatner (Captain Kirk).

StarTrek.com has reported that Has Been, currently scheduled for release in September on the Shout! Factory label, was produced and written mostly by Folds and includes cameos by singers Henry Rollins, Aimee Mann and Joe Jackson.

"It is a great record and it is really worth going out and doing some shows in major cities," Folds told Billboard.com, though he added that Shatner was "not a musician at all" and did not sing or rap on the album. "But he is still part of the music. I've never heard a record quite like it." Shatner, who has released several solo albums in between film and television appearances, made a guest appearance in 1998 on Folds' album Fear of Pop, Vol. 1.

Reuters reported, also via Billboard.com, that author Nick Hornby - famed for the music-themed High Fidelity - had also co-written a song with Folds for the project. Folds is currently on tour and plans to release his own solo album in 2005.